Dual Processors? - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

ChasingAmy · 12-27-2003, 03:06 PM

Can anyone tell me why my new computer thinks it has 2 Cpus? In the DEvice Manager it lists 2 seperate Intel Pentium Cpus? And with the windows task manager is has to seperate graphs for "each" cpu. Can anyone tell me whats up? I knwo i didnt pay for 2 cpus, and I am pretty sure this new mobo does support 2 cpus.

I am kinda computer literate, but I have no clue as to why this is showing as it is.

Thanks.

Silverbrain · 12-27-2003, 03:10 PM

You most likely have a new Intel Pentium 4 processor with HT (hyper threading)

http://www.intel.com/technology/hyperthread/

AxelF · 12-28-2003, 06:39 PM

Yeah, the new P4's have two logical "processors" in one chip.

This allows for running two parallell threads of instructions instead of a single thread. They share all the processing units within the chip since many usually are idle when runnning only one thread of instructions. To Windows XP it looks like two chips.
You can usually turn it off in bios, but I have not seen it to have any drawbacks in published tests. The main thread will get all the power it needs when needed, the secondary takes the rest.
So it gives you some improved multitasking on some operating systems (like WinXP), and for some applications written for multi-threading. This can give up to 30% performance increase, under optimal conditions.

billege · 12-28-2003, 06:47 PM

That should have been a major selling point to the CPU you paid for. Too bad no one mentioned it to you.

12-27-2003, 03:06 PM	#1 (permalink)
ChasingAmy Single :) FFA Location: Prince George, British Columbia	Dual Processors? Can anyone tell me why my new computer thinks it has 2 Cpus? In the DEvice Manager it lists 2 seperate Intel Pentium Cpus? And with the windows task manager is has to seperate graphs for "each" cpu. Can anyone tell me whats up? I knwo i didnt pay for 2 cpus, and I am pretty sure this new mobo does support 2 cpus. I am kinda computer literate, but I have no clue as to why this is showing as it is. Thanks.

12-27-2003, 03:10 PM	#2 (permalink)
Silverbrain Addict Location: Nor Cal	You most likely have a new Intel Pentium 4 processor with HT (hyper threading) http://www.intel.com/technology/hyperthread/ __________________ Over Thinking, Over Analyzing Seperates the Body from the Mind - MJK

12-28-2003, 06:39 PM	#3 (permalink)
AxelF Crazy Location: Europe	Yeah, the new P4's have two logical "processors" in one chip. This allows for running two parallell threads of instructions instead of a single thread. They share all the processing units within the chip since many usually are idle when runnning only one thread of instructions. To Windows XP it looks like two chips. You can usually turn it off in bios, but I have not seen it to have any drawbacks in published tests. The main thread will get all the power it needs when needed, the secondary takes the rest. So it gives you some improved multitasking on some operating systems (like WinXP), and for some applications written for multi-threading. This can give up to 30% performance increase, under optimal conditions. __________________ Coffee

12-28-2003, 06:47 PM	#4 (permalink)
billege Watcher Location: Ohio	That should have been a major selling point to the CPU you paid for. Too bad no one mentioned it to you. __________________ I can sum up the clash of religion in one sentence: "My Invisible Friend is better than your Invisible Friend."